Cape Wildflowers, Birding & Big Game Trip Report 18th to 31st August 2014 (14 days) Cape Rockjumper (male) by Patrick Cardwell Trip report compiled by Tour Leader: Patrick Cardwell Trip Report - RBT Wildflowers, Birding & Big Game 2014 2 Tour Summary DAY 1: Cape Town to Boulders Beach and Cape of Good Hope National Park Our tour commenced in near perfect weather at the relatively tourist-free southern section of Boulders Coastal Park. This unique reserve, located within an intrusive granite complex of exposed pegmatite boulders, dates back some 200 million years and presents itself as a scenically superb location to view the highly endearing African Penguin. Some 800 pairs nest within the area and the bridle path that traverses across the length of the reserve provides for fantastic close-up viewing and photographic opportunities. Aside from the penguins, the surrounding coastal thicket supports a variety of endemics, making for an engaging and relaxing bird walk with a mix of trees, shrubs and flowering plants adding interest to the day, not to mention the amusing antics of the highly approachable resident Rock Hyrax community. From here we headed directly to the Cape of Good Hope and the south-western tip of the African continent for sightings of Cape Fur Seal and the chance of botanizing at leisure along the sandy coastal strip of this nutrient-deficient yet surprisingly diverse floral environment, which is home to nearly 2000 plant species. Add views of all three resident sunbirds in the region (Malachite, Southern Double-collared and Orange-breasted), Bokmakierie and good views of Cape Sugarbird on the crowns of flowering pincushions, and you have some idea of the visual delights enjoyed on the day! African Penguins by Adam Riley Plant highlights of the day: Yellow and Snake-stemmed Pincushions, Babiana ringens, known colloquially as Rat-tail, Marsh Pagoda, and a contrasting display of two species of yellow Moraea (collina and ochrolenca) within a recently burnt section of blackened hillside. DAY 2: Rooi Els and Harold Porter Botanical Gardens Wet, wild and blustery at best adequately describes the weather pattern that greeted us as we set off for the Harold Porter Botanical Gardens on the far side of False Bay. The temperature throughout the day remained unpleasantly low; effectively ensuring that members of the complex Asteracea family remained tightly closed and making identification of some species difficult at best. Nevertheless, botanising was excellent with several species of Erica and Protea in full bloom. Birding proved extremely challenging with windy conditions playing havoc with sighting possibilities in the more exposed areas of ‘fynbos’. Even so, we had good views of a number of highly localized species on our target list, including a great interactive display of two stunning male Cape Rockjumpers in close proximity for a more than adequate amount of viewing time! A pair of Verreaux’s Eagles soaring above us also added to the excitement of the day in spite of the miserable weather. Plant highlights of the day: Bot River Protea, Prince of Wales and Yellow (Nana) Erica, Tufted Pincushion, Fan Aloe, Protea Nitida (Waboom) in full bloom. Trip Report - RBT Wildflowers, Birding & Big Game 2014 3 DAY 3: Cape Town environs to Langebaan Another very wet and windy start to our travel day. Less than ideal for birding and particularly disappointing for flower viewing, given Kirstenbosch as the prime floral site planned for the morning. Needless to say we set off in a positive and enthusiastic frame of mind for the False Bay Environmental Park wetland complex as our first birding destination. Almost as if pre-ordained for our benefit, the skies above cleared on our arrival and we enjoyed excellent sightings of a wide variety of waterbirds before the next wind-driven squall drove us off to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Again, to everyone's surprise and complete amazement, the skies cleared once again on our arrival, and we enjoyed an almost private spell of botanising and birding with the exquisitely laid-out gardens all to ourselves. Good views of nearly all the resident bird species were obtained, including Spotted Eagle-Owl, Sombre Bulbul and Swee Waxbill, topped off by fleeting views of Black and Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawks hunting actively over the forest canopy. Pincushions and proteas in full bloom were in ample evidence and a wide variety of Erica species in flower were a drawcard for Southern Double-collared Sunbird. African Olive Pigeon and large flocks of Red-winged Starlings were in evidence on the upper slopes, along with the regular crowd of Crowned Guineafowl and Cape Spurfowl in constant attendance. No sooner had we completed our intended circuit Southern Black Korhaan by Patrick Cardwell when the heavens opened up once again, driving us up the West Coast as our next destination for the day. On the way we again experienced driving rain, but on arrival in Langebaan the wet weather cleared, ending with sunny skies and a magnificent sunset over the Atlantic Ocean! As to be expected the birding activity was in full swing, with Southern Black Korhaan in vocal and visual evidence, while the cryptically plumaged and normally secretive Grey- winged Francolin covey we were seeking appeared in full view on the roadside. Flowering plants were present in number but not in full bloom due to the low temperature throughout the day. Pelargoniums and a wide variety of typical strandveld plants and shrubs were very much in evidence, making for a comprehensive West Coast experience rounded off by two lark species (Large-billed and xxx) and great views of Red Hartebeest and the diminutive and endearing Steenbok. Plant highlights for the day: Various pincushion species in full bloom along with stunning examples of the multi-coloured variety of Ericas throughout the gardens DAY 4: Langebaan and West Coast National Park Another grey morning of wet and cold weather greeted us as we headed into the West Coast Park as our destination for the day. Yet, as so often happens in the Western Cape, the weather suddenly switched into summer and by late morning the scenic environment of the West Coast Park sprang into life. All around bird activity presented itself in abundance with one good sighting being followed by another, including great views of Black Harrier, arguably the most stunning of all the worlds’ harriers, and an Osprey heading inland with a large fish in its talons. It soon became evident that spring was well underway with returning Palaearctic shorebirds well represented, including Trip Report - RBT Wildflowers, Birding & Big Game 2014 4 Eurasian Curlew. Other notable sightings in the Park and surrounds were Cardinal Woodpecker, Lesser Honeyguide, Africa Hoopoe, White-throated and Yellow Canary, Black Crake, Antarctic Tern, South African Shelduck and African Marsh Harrier. Mammals were also well represented with Springbuck, Bontebok, Eland and Cape Mountain Zebra in ample evidence, and we also found Angulate Tortoise and Black Girdled Lizard. But it was unequivocally the wild flowers that stole the day, as a wide variety of Asteraceae and Mesembryanthemum species opened up to take advantage of the clear sunny sky following the passing of the cold front. So great was the intricate matrix of flora around us that it was difficult to move about without treading on one flowering plant or another growing in close proximity. Add to this the scenically spectacular views over the lagoon and the Atlantic Coastline from the heights of our picnic lunch stop, and you have some idea of what added up to a near perfect day! Plant highlights of the day: Babiana ambigua, Romulea eximia, Pelargonium fulgidum and Melianthus elongates. DAY 5: Langebaan to Niewoudtville Heavy rains along the Cedarberg Mountain range called for a routing re-think and we headed north along the coast road instead before turning inland to Vanrhynsdorp, the picturesque gateway town to Namaqualand – a globally recognized biome of great floral diversity. All along the coastal strip flowers across the spectrum of colourful expectation were in full bloom by midday. Mesembryanthemum and Asteraceae family members once again dominated the floral scene as we made our way steadily up to Lamberts Bay for the day’s birding highlight: the spectacle of hundreds of Cape Gannets settling into Bird Island for the start of the breeding season. Close-up views of courtship displays, nest building and the constant coming and going of raucous gannets, along with good sightings of nesting Cape Cormorants and roosting Swift Terns, provided excellent photographic opportunities in perfect light. Turning inland after an excellent ‘fish and chips’ lunch on the wharf we then headed off for the distant Roggeveld Mountains flanking the eastern edge of Namaqualand. Good rains during the weeks preceding our visit had Eland by Patrick Cardwell ‘greened up’ the surrounding countryside appreciably, and botanically we were not disappointed as the profusion of wild flowers on our way to Van Rhyn's Pass increased progressively in colour and visual intensity. On reaching the narrow band of 'fynbos' at the crest of the Pass we were struck by the noticeable transformation of semi-arid shrubland to pristine 'fynbos' surrounding the sleepy hamlet of Nieuwoudville, the recognised ‘capital of the bulb world’ in South Africa! Scanning the open fields produced views of Ludwig’s Bustards and Blue Cranes in abundance, with several cranes engaged in interactive courtship displays, along with sightings of Booted Eagle and Layard's Warbler. That evening we enjoyed a superbly presented ‘farmhouse’ meal specially prepared in the rural tradition of this delightful community of farming folk. Plant highlights of the day: Didelta spinosa and a wide variety of Asteraceae, Iridaceae, Hyacinthacea, Ashodelaceae , Mesembryanthemaceae and Oxalidacea varieties in profusion. Trip Report - RBT Wildflowers, Birding & Big Game 2014 5 DAY 6: Nieuwoudville Sunny skies and a noon temperature above 20C made for the perfect wildflower day, starting in the vicinity of the spectacular waterfall that has systematically cut its way through the underlying sandstone over geological time.